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Lockout/Tagout Procedure

Policy

It is the policy of Sonoma State University that any individual engaging in the maintenance, repairing, cleaning, servicing, or adjusting of prime movers, machinery, or equipment on Sonoma State University property will abide by the procedures outlined in this document and specific procedures outlined in the SSU Injury and Illness Prevention Program. These procedures are designed to meet or exceed applicable OSHA standards for safe work practices.

Lockout is a first means of protection; warning tags only supplement the use of locks. Tags alone may be used only when the application of a lock is not practically feasible and with approval of the appropriate supervisor.

Purpose

To ensure that all individuals on the Sonoma State University campus are protected from accidental or unexpected activation of mechanical and/or electrical equipment during maintenance, repairing, cleaning, servicing, or adjusting of prime movers, machinery, or equipment.

Definitions

Lockout

The practice of using keyed or combination security devices (locks) to prevent the unwanted activation of mechanical or electrical equipment.

Tagout

The practice of using tags in conjunction with locks to increase the visibility and awareness that equipment is not to be energized or activated until such devices are removed.

Tagout devices will be of the non-reusable type, attachable by hand, self-locking, and non-releasable with a minimum unlocking strength of no less than 50 pounds.

Activation/Energization

To set machinery into motion by starting, switching, pushing, moving, or otherwise engaging power sources for such equipment. To provide a flow of electricity or complete a circuit that is the main power source for the machinery/equipment.

Energy Control Procedures

Use of lockout/tagout equipment to ensure safe work practices.

Hazardous Motions

Motion of equipment under mechanical stress or gravity that may abruptly release and cause injury. Hazardous motion may result even after power sources are disconnected. Examples are coiled springs, raised hydraulic equipment, and any sources of potential energy that may cause injury.

Prime Mover

Power driven machinery and equipment.

Responsibilities

Ensure that the lockout/tagout procedures are in compliance with OSHA requirements.

Maintain a file of SSU equipment, machinery, and operations that require the use of lockout/tagout procedures. The file will include the location, description, power source, and primary hazards of equipment/ machinery, a list of the primary operators/maintenance personnel, and a list of lockout/tagout equipment that is used and maintained on site.

Deans, Directors and Department Heads

Ensure that each supervisor adheres to procedures.

Supervisors

Ensure that each employee and each off campus employee (contractors) engaging in work requiring locking/tagging out of energy sources understands and adheres to adopted procedures.

Assure that employees have received training in energy control procedures prior to operating the machinery or equipment.

Notify Facilities Services of new or revised equipment, machinery, or operations that require the use of lockout/tagout devices during servicing, maintenance, or repair.

Employees

Adhere to Specific Procedures as outlined in this document for all tasks that require the use of lockout/tagout procedures as defined.

Maintain lockout/tagout supplies in maintenance vehicles.

Specific Procedures

Preparations For Lockout/Tagout

Make a survey to locate and identify all isolating devices to be certain which switches, valves, or other energy isolating devices apply to the equipment to be locked or tagged out. More than one energy source (electrical, mechanical, stored energy, or others) may be involved.

Sequence of Lockout or Tagout System Procedure

Notify affected employees that a lockout or tagout system is going to be utilized and the reason therefore. The authorized employee shall know the type and magnitude of energy that the machine or equipment utilizes and shall understand the hazards thereof.

If the machine or equipment is operating, shut it down by the normal stopping procedure (depress stop button, open toggle switch, etc.).

Operate the switch, valve, or other energy isolating device(s) so that the equipment is isolated from it energy source(s). Stored energy (such as that in springs, elevated machine members, rotating flywheels, hydraulic systems, and air, gas, steam, or water pressure, etc.) must be dissipated or restrained by methods such as repositioning, blocking, bleeding down, etc.

After ensuring that no personnel are exposed, and as a check on having disconnected the energy sources, operate the push button or other normal operating controls to make certain the equipment will not operate. CAUTION: Return operating control(s) to neutral or off position after the test.

The equipment is now locked out or tagged out.

Restoring Machines or Equipment to Normal Use

After the servicing and/or maintenance is complete and equipment is ready for normal production operations, check the area around the machines or equipment to ensure that no one is exposed.

After all tools have been removed from the machine or equipment, guards have been reinstalled and employees are in the clear, remove all lockout or tagout devices. Operate the energy isolating devices to restore energy to the machine or equipment.

Procedure Involving More Than One Person

In the preceding steps, if more than one individual is required to lockout or tagout equipment, each shall place his/her own personal lockout/tagout device on the energy isolating device(s). When an energy isolating device cannot accept multiple locks or tags, a multiple lockout or tagout device (hasp) may be used. If lockout is used, a single lock may be used to lockout the machine or equipment with the key being place in a lockout box or cabinet which allows the use of multiple locks to secure it. Each employee will then use his/her own lock to secure the box or cabinet. As each person no longer needs to maintain his or her lockout protection, that person will remove his/her lock from the box or cabinet.

Temporary Removal of Lockout/Tagout Devices

In situations where lockout/tagout devices must be temporarily removed from the energy isolating device and the machine or equipment energized to test or position the machine, equipment or component thereof, the following sequence of actions will be followed:

Remove non-essential items and ensure that machine or equipment components are operationally intact.

Notify affected employees that lockout/tagout devices have been removed and ensure that all employees have been safely positioned or removed from the area.

Have employees who applied the lockout/tagout devices remove the lockout/tagout devices.

Energize and proceed with testing or positioning.

Deenergize all systems and reapply energy control measures in accordance with section 5.2 of these procedures.

Maintenance Requiring Undisrupted Energy Supply

Where maintenance, repairing, cleaning, servicing, adjusting, or setting up operations cannot be accomplished with the prime mover or energy source disconnected, such operations may only be performed under the following conditions:

The operating station (e.g. external control panel) where the machine may be activated must at all times be under the control of a qualified operator.

All participants must be in clear view of the operator or in positive communication with each other.

All participants must be beyond the reach of machine elements which may move rapidly and present a hazard.

Where machine configuration or size requires that the operator leave the control station to install tools, and where there are machine elements which may move rapidly, if activated, such elements must be separately locked out.

During repair procedures where mechanical components are being adjusted or replaced, the machine shall be de-energized or disconnected from its power source.